Sustainability in Practice

An effort combining empirical research and scholarship, student projects, community-level international partnerships, and an annual on-site course, all aimed at supporting sustainable living and development on the Nature Island of Dominica.

Sustainable Development Research

Recent research support has come from the American Geographical Society (AGS), its affiliates, and Miami University. Our research in Dominica intersects with a multi-country AGS project conceived by AGS President Jerry Dobson called the Bowman Expeditions, which aim to gather empirical evidence abroad on crucial development issues and to inform the public about global concerns.

In Dominica and in neighboring St Lucia, our main focus has been the plight of banana farmers, whose livelihoods have been devastated by recent changes in international trade policies. We seek to understand how banana farmers are coping with higher input costs, lower prices, and smaller export markets. We hope to contribute positively to the situation by highlighting and supporting sustainable development initiatives.

To access information and application materials for the Spring Break 2009 workshop:

GEO 499.7/599.7:

Sustainable Development and Ecotourism in the Eastern Caribbean

Spring Semester 2009, 5 credits

click on the links below:

COSTS

SYLLABUS (draft)

ITINERARY (draft)

POSTER DESCRIBING THE WORKSHOP WITH PHOTOS

PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MARCH 2008 COURSE

PHOTOS & STORY ABOUT OUR LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH GRAND FOND, DOMINICA SCHOOLS & OUR MATCHING FUNDS CAMPAIGN

Miami Student Newspaper Article on our Work in Dominica

SCHOLARSHIPS (APPLICATION DEADLINE OCT. 20, 2008)

HOW TO APPLY (APPLICATION DEADLINE OCTOBER 20, 2008)

If you have questions,

please contact the course instructors:

Charles Stevens and  Thomas Klak